Coach says Augusta girls play aggressively, smart

Coach Matthew House said he expects the Augusta Lady Red Devils to excel on the court this year. The 2A-3 Conference team had a record of 6-14 last year and will enter the season with four returning starters: juniors Tia Tripp and Jharysse Neal, and seniors Charity Johnson and Jennifer Hinojosa. “[Tripp shows] good ball control and movement, [as well as] outworks defense for a good look at the rim,” the coach said. House said the best inside player is Johnson, a strong passer and ball handler who can “dribble through a press while looking down the court for a great assist.” Neal is the team’s leading rebounder, House said, and is one of the most fun to work with on her post game. Hinojosa has the endurance to run or sprint for the entire game, he said. “She’s probably our No. 1 defender and has one of the best attitudes on the team,” he said. “These girls have a great work ethic and have been very coachable. Their work has continued to improve shooting percentages and reduce turnovers. They are aggressive and very smart. They have good shoot selections,” House said. Team weaknesses include free-throw percentage and height, he said. “Our girls will just rely on their aggressiveness and mental toughness to work on our post game this year,” House said. “We have a great group of young ladies who are known to be very intelligent and hardworking. We expect them to excel even further on the court this year,” he said. House said he hopes players leave the program understanding the importance of hard work and the benefits of playing on a team and caring for the people around them. “Our assistant coach, Jordan Long, took over last year while I was out with my son in the hospital,” House said. “She has been tremendous for our team and our school. She has lots of knowledge and experience to pass on to these young ladies. I am so glad to have her on our team.”